charity Phil. 4. 5. Let your moderation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be known unto all men whether it be fear or honour that be due Rom. 13. 7. Render therefore to all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Or good will ver 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another Secondly For truth You are to adhere to the truth not to be carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love ye may grow up unto him in all things which is the head even Christ Ephes. 4. 14 15. To speak nothing but truth in your ordinary communication Ephes. 4. 25. Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his Neighbour To perform what you promise though to your loss Psal. 15. 4. He sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not Thus should the whole course of our lives express the properties of the Word Use 3. To shew the reason why men are so backward in obedience so prone to what is evil so uncomfortable in trouble We do not believe that the testimony of God is righteous and true very true every tittle of it but we are slow of heart to believe therefore is the faithfulness and truth of the Word inculcated Christ saith Believest thou this John 11. 25. Could we believe the word more what advantage should we have in the spiritual life what fear of God what joy of faith what readiness of obedience But we cannot depend upon Gods word and therefore are easily shaken in mind Our hearts are like a Sea one Wave riseth up after another We must be fed with sense and God must do all immediately or else we are apt to sink under our discouragements SERMON CLVI PSALM CXIX VER Cxxxix My zeal hath consumed me because mine Enemies have forgotten thy Words IN these words you may observe 1. Two different persons 2. A different carriage mentioned 1. Two different persons are spoken of David and his Enemies By Enemies is not to be understood those only that were troublesome to himself but those who were an opposite party to God who opposed themselves against God and Godliness these without any breach of the Law of love may be counted Enemies Ps. 139. 21 22. Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine Enemies It is a comfort and satisfaction to the godly to have no enemies to themselves but such as are enemies to God also such as rise up against God 2. There 's a different carriage mentioned and asscribed to these two parties on the one side Oblivion and Forgetfulness of Gods Law on the other side zeal 1. On the Enemies part oblivion and forgetfulness of Gods Word The Word of God is not effectual usually but where it is hid in recent memory They have forgotten thy Word a proper phrase to set forth them in the bosom of the visible Church who do not wholly deny and reject the Word and Rule of Scripture but yet live as though they had forgotten it they do not observe it as if God had never spoken any such thing or given them any such Rule They that reject and contemn such things as thy Word enforceth surely do not remember to do them 2. On David's part here is mentioned zeal or a flagrant affection which is set forth 1. By the vehemency of it 2. By the cause of it 1. By the vehemency of it my zeal hath consumed me It was no small zeal that David had but a consuming zeal Vehement affections exhaust and consume the vital Spirits and wast the body The like expression is used Ps. 69. 9. The zeal of thy House hath eaten me up Strength of Holy Affections works many times upon the Body as well as the Soul especially zeal which is a high degree of Love and vents it self by a mixture of grief and anger What a man loves he would have it respected and is grieved when it is dishonoured and under disrepute Both have an influence upon this consuming this wasting of the Spirits that is spoken of in the text because they had lessened and obscured the Glory of God and violated his Law and there was in him a holy care ardour and earnest endeavour to rectifie this abuse and awaken them out of their security and reduce them to their duty 2. Here was the Cause of it Why was David so much wasted pined consumed and troubled Because they have forgotten Thy Word the contempt of God and the offence of God sate nearest his heart as if he had said I should more patiently bear the injury done to my self but I cannot be coldly affected where thy glory O Lord is concerned since I have had a tast of thy grace and felt the benefit of thy Word I cannot endure it should be contemned and it much moves me to see Creatures so mad upon their own Destruction and to make so light of thy Salvation Thus was David consumed not at the sight of his own but at other mens sins and not at others in general but them his enemies that they should make void the Law of God Such was his love to the Word that he could not endure the contempt and violation of it and such was his Compassion to the souls of men that it grieved him exceedingly to see any of the workmanship of God to perish to be captivated to the World to be made Factors for the Devil and fuel for hell fire and to be so violent for their own Destruction Doctrine That Great and Pure Zeal becomes those that have any affection for the Word and for the Ways of God Here is a great zeal for David saith my zeal hath consumed me it prey'd upon his spirit And here 's a pure zeal for he mentions not personal injuries but disrespect to Gods Word when the same men are our Enemies and Gods Enemies we should be more zealous for Gods cause then our own Now both the greatness and purity of his zeal did arise from his love to the Word as appears from the precedent and subsequent verses in the precedent verses he had told them just and upright are thy testimonies and very faithful therefore zeal hath consumed me because this Word should be slighted and contemned And it appears also from the following verse thy Word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it He was troubled to see such a holy and pure Word to be trampled under foot and especially that those seem to disown it he doth not say they deny it who had generally profest to live under this rule that they made light and disregarded the precepts in which I found so much comfort and delight In the prosecution of this point I shall 1. Shew what is true Zeal
it in their conversation God will not take it planted in our hearts if we do not obey him in those things that are contrary to our Interests and natural Affections When God tryed Abraham that was to offer his Isaac Gen. 22. Now I know that thou fearest me since thou hast not withheld thine only Son c. why was Abraham unknown to God before that time As Peter told Christ Lord thou knowest all things cannot God see the inward Springs and Motions of our Souls and what Affections are there Could not God tell what was in Abraham But now I acknowledge For God will not acknowledge it in this sense untill we express it They are the true Servants of God that have his fear planted in their hearts and express it upon all occasions SERMON XLIV PSALM CXIX Verse 39. Turn away my Reproach which I fear For thy Iudgments are Good IN these Words you have 1. A Request Take away my Reproach 2. A Reason to inforce it For thy Iudgments are good First for the Request Turn away roul from upon me so it signifies He was cloathed with Reproach now roul from me my Reproach some think he means Gods condemnatory Sentence which would turn to his Reproach or some remarkable rebuke from God because of his Sin Rather I think the Calumnies of his Enemies and he calls it my Reproach either as deserved by himself or personally lighted upon him the Reproach which was like to be his Lot and Portion in the World through the Malice of his Enemies The Reproach which I fear that is which I have cause to expect and am sensible of the sad Consequences of it Secondly For the Reason by which this is enforced For thy Iudgments are good There are different Opinions about the Formality of this Argument Some take the Reason thus Let me not suffer Reproach for adhering to thy word thy word which is so good But David doth not speak here of suffering Reproach for Righteousness sake but such Reproach as was likely to befall him because of his own Infirmities and Failings Reproaches for Righteousness sake are to be rejoyced in but he saith this I fear and therefore I suppose this doth not hit the reason neither the other Sence Why should I be looked upon as an evil doer as long as I keep thy Law and observe thy Statutes Others judge badly of me but I appeal to thy good Judgment Others by Judgments understand Gods dealings Thou dost not deal with men according to their desert Thy dispensations are kind and gracious Rather thus By Judgments are meant the Ways Statutes and Ordinances of God called Judgements because all our words works thoughts are to be Judged according to the sentence of the Word now these it is pity they should suffer in my Reproach and Ignominy This is that I fear more than any thing else that can happen to me I think the reason will better run thus Lord there is in thy Law Word Covenant many Promises to encourage thy People and therefore Rules to provide for the due honour and credit of thy People Take it so I shall with respect to the necessities of the People of God insist a little upon the former clause and observe this point That Reproaches are an usual but yet a great and grievous affliction to the Children of God They are usual for David saith my Reproach Even this holy man could not escape it the Censures of his Enemies and they are grievous for he saith which I so fear First That they are usual David often complains of it in this Psalm and mentions it as one great evil to God Verse 22. Remove from me Reproach and Contempt for I have kept thy Testimonies And again Verse 42. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me for I trust in thy Word And V. 69. The Proud have forged a lye against me God may let loose a barking Shimei upon a holy David and therefore doth he so often complain of Reproaches so else where Psal. 31. 13. For I have heard the Slander of many Sundry sorts of Persons made him their Butt upon which they spent and let fly the Arrows of Censure and Reproach Psal. 25. 15. The Abjects gathered themselves together against me they did tear me and ceased not Tear me meaning in his name that was rent and torn in pieces with their Reproaches the Abjects gathered themselves c. Base dust will many times be flying in the faces of the Children of God and Ieremiah tells us I have heard the defaming of many And Iob and other Servants of God yea our Lord himself was reviled he endured the contradiction of Sinners many a bittter Reproach even of the highest crimes against either Table there were objected to him Blasphemy and Sedition the highest Crime against the First and the highest Crime against the Second Table the Son of God that was so meek innocent just and did so much good in every place yet he met with odious aspersions therefore we cannot say that they are faulty because they are aspersed since this hath been the portion of the most eminent Godly persons and after that we are told Psal. 64. 3 4. They whet their tongue like a Sword and bend their Boâ—…s to shoot their Arrows even bitter words that they may shoot in secret at the Perfect Perfection meets with Envy and Envy vents it self by detraction and when men cannot reach the heighth of others by a holy imitation then by odious imputations they seek to make them as vile low and base as themselves Thus it is an usual affliction Secondly It is a grievous affliction for the man of God that was after Gods own heart he saith the Reproach which I so feared It is called Persecution Gal. 4. 29. compared with Gen. 21 9. and you shall see it was mocking and reproach The scourge of the tongue is one of the basest persecutions that the Children of God are tryed withal and they are called cruel mockings Heb. 11. 36. There is as much cruelty and as deep a wound many times made by the Tongue of Reproach as by the Fist of Wickedness To confirm it by Reasons Reproach must needs be grievous because 't is against Nature and against Grace 1. 'T is against Nature contempt is a heavy thing to bear and as honour is more grateful to some Persons so Reproach is more grievous than many ordinary Crosses Many would lose their goods Cheerfully yet are grieved with the loss of their Names According to the Constitution and frame of mens Spirits so they are affected some with Shame more than with Fear There seems to be Excellency and Gallantry in sufferings which are honourable and many can bear that but the best Spirits are deeply affected with Shame and disgraceful Punishment is more dreadful than a painful one Jesus Christ that had all the innocent affections of humane Nature and upon occasion shewed them he took notice of Mockings and Reproaches
heard all these things and derided him They flouted at him when he hung on the Cross Matt. 27. 39 to 44. They that passed by him reviled him wagging their heads and saying Thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three days save thy self if thou be the son of God come down from the Cross. Likewise also the Chief Priests mocking him with the Scribes and Elders said He saved others himself he cannot save if he be the King of Israel let him now come down from the Cross and we will believe him He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him for he said I am the son of God The Thieves also which were crucified with him cast the same in his teeth So Acts 17. 32. Some mocked and said What will this Babler say Well then since it is an usual Evil which God's Children have suffered it should be the less to us Little can the Wicked say if they cannot scoff and little can we endure if we cannot abide a bad word There needs no great deal adoe to advance a Man into the Chair of Scorners if they have wickedness and boldness enough they may soon let fly 2. This as well as other Afflictions are not excepted out of our Resignation to God We must be contented to be mocked and scorned as well as to be persecuted and molested It is mentioned in the Beatitudes Matt. 5. 11. Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil falsly against you for my sake 3. Railing and Calumniating will never prevaile with Rational and Conscientious Men to cause them to change their Opinions To leave the Truth because others raile at it is to consult with our Affections not our Judgments Solid Reasoning convinceth our Judgments but Railery is to our Affections and a Rational Conscientious Man is governed by an inlightened Mind not perverse and preposterous Affections Eph. 5. 17. Be ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is Therefore an Honest man will not quit Truth because others raile no he looketh to his Rule and Warrant A Man will not be railed out of Errors nay often they are the more rooted because ill-confuted 4. It is the Duty of God's Children to justify Wisedom Matt. 11. 19. Wisedom is justified of her Children What is it to justify Wisedom Justification is a Relative word opposed to Crimination so to justify is the work of an Advocate or to Condemnation so it is the work of a Judge The Children of Wisedom discharge both parts they pleade for the Ways of God and exalt them so much as others deny them they value them esteem them hold them for good and right When they are never so much condemned and the more despised the more zealous the Saints will be for them I will yet be more vile 5. Carnal men at the same time approve what they seem to condemn they hate and fear Strictness Mark 6. 20. Herod feared Iohn because he was a just man and an holy and observed him They scoff at it with their Tongues but have a fear of it in their Consciences they revile at it while they live but what mind are they off when they come to dye then all speak well of an Holy Life and the strictest Obedience to the Laws of God Numb 23. 10. Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Matt. 25. 8. Give us of your Oyl for our lamps are gone out Oh that they had a little of that Holiness and Strictness which they scoffed at whilst they were pursuing their Lusts. How will men desire to die as carnal and careless Sinners or as mortified Saints Once more They approve it in Thesi and condemn it in Hypothesi All the Scoffers at Godliness within the Pale of the visible Church have the same Bible Baptism Creed pretend to believe in the same God and Christ which they own with those whom they oppose All the difference is the one are real Christians the other are Nominal some profess at large the others practise what they profess the one have a Religion to talk of the others to live by Once more They approve it in the Form but hate it in the Power A Picture of Christ that is drawn by a Painter they like and the forbidden Image of God made by a Carver they will reverence and honour and be zealous for but the Image of God framed by the Spirit in the hearts of the Faithfull and described in the lives of the Heavenly and the Sanctified this they scorn and scoff at 6. Their Judgment is perverse not to be stood upon They count the Children of God foolish and crack-brain'd the Crimination may be justly retorted their Way is Folly and Madness for they goe dancing to their Destruction Though there be a God by whom and for whom they were made and from whom they are fallen and that they cannot be happy but in returning to him again yet they carry it so as if there were no misery but in Bodily and Worldly things no Happiness but in pleasing the Senses The beginning progress and end of their Course is from themselves in themselves and to themselves They pour out their hearts to inconsiderable Toys and Trifles and will neither admit Information of their Errour nor Reformation of their Practice till Death destroy them They neglect their main business and leave it undone and run up and down they know not why like Children that follow a Bubble blown out of a shell of Soap till it break and dissolve Now should those that are flying from Wrath to come and seeking after God and their Happiness be discouraged because these Mad and Merry Worldlings scoff at them for their diligent Seriousness surely we should deride their Derisions and contemn their Contempt who despise God and Christ and their Salvation Should a Wise man be troubled because Mad-men raile at him if they glory in their shame Phil. 3. 19. we must not be ashamed of our Glory nor ashamed to be found praying rather then sinning If they think you fools for preferring Heaven before inconsiderable Vanities remember they can no more judge of these things then a Blind man of Colours 7. If some dishonour others will honour us who are better able to judge Psal. 15. 4. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. Some have as low an Opinion of the World as the Carnal World hath of the certainty of God's Word They who labour to bring Piety and Godliness into a creditable Esteem and Reputation will pay an hearty honour and respect to every good and godly man 2 Cor. 6. 8 9. By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as deceivers yet true as unknown yet well known as dying but behold we live as chastened and not killed contumeliously used by some and reverently by others vilified and contemned counted
good Deut 6. 24. And the Lord commandeth us to doe all the Statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always that he might preserve us alive as it is at this day That he may with honour perform and make good all that he hath promised Gen. 18. 19. For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to doe justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him The Obstructions removed and Grace flows out freely 2. Tryals sent by him are not above measure 1 Cor 10. 13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to men but God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Isa. 27. 8. In measure when it shooteth forth wilt thou debate with it he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East-wind He dealeth with much discretion and moderation not according to the greatness of his Power or the hainousness of their sin but observeth our strength what we are able to bear 3. His Punishments are not above Deservings Ezra 9. 13. Seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve Job 11. 6. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth 4. He is not hard to be pleased nor inexorable upon every failing Mal. 3. 17. And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Iewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Many think God watcheth occasions to destroy them or at least to molest and trouble them no he passeth by many weaknesses or else what would become of the best of his Children pardoneth many sins where the heart is sincere 2 Chron. 30. 18 19. The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God the Lord God of his Fathers though he be not cleansed according to the preparation of the Sanctuary 4. If he doth not give them the good things of this world he giveth them better in lieu of them While they are here in this world they have those things not onely that are good but make them good which cannot be said of all the things of this world they may easily make us worse but they cannot make us better He giveth them such things as tend to the enjoyment of the chiefest Good which is Himself As he is a good God he pardoneth their sins Psal. 25. 7. Remember not the sins of my youth for thy goodness sake O Lord. That is one of the effects of his Goodness to them He directs them in the way of Life Psal. 25. 8. Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way He beginneth carryeth on and compleateth their Salvation 2. Thess. 1. 11. Wherefore also we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of his calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his Goodness and the work of Faith with power Thus he giveth the best things though he deny some common things which are no arguments of his special Favour and it is dangerous to have our eyes fastned upon other wants when we have these things and to repine against God who hath dealt graciously with us in the higher expressions of his Love 5. The evil things of this World which are not good in themselves he turneth to good Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God He is able to bring Light out of Darkness or give Light in Darkness or turn darkness into light to give inward joy and comfort under all calamities to support and sustain under all heavy pressures and to deliver out of all distresses 6. He doth give them so much of the good things of the World as is convenient for them Psalm 34. 9. Oh fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him Psal. 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly He giveth Protection when it is necessary Nahum 1. 7. The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth those that trust in him Ezra 6. 22. The Hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him He hath a great inclination to diffuse his Benefits 7. His doing good is chiefly in the World to come Iohn 12. 26. If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be if any man serve me him will my Father honour Here he is with them in Troubles there they shall be with him in Glory here he can put marks of Favour upon them and distinguish between those that serve him and those that serve him not Mal. 3. 17. They shall be mine saith the Lord in that day when I make up my Iewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him there he will manifest his Favour in the face of all the world Use 2. To perswade you to become the Servants of God you will have a good Master if you be what you profess to be Every Christian should say as Paul did Acts 27. 23. The God whose I am and whom I serve He is God's and serveth God 1. He is God's by Creation for he made him out of nothing Psal. 109. 3. Know ye that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made us and not we our selves we are his People and the Sheep of his pasture Col. 1. 16. All things were created by him and for him by Redemption 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Body and your Spirit which is God's by Covenant Isa. 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and sirname himself by the name of Israel Ezek. 16. 8. I sware unto thee and entred into covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine And so voluntarily he is God's wicked men are God's in right but against their wills the Godly are willingly God's A man will never be hearty in his obedience and subjection till he look upon himself as God's See an instance in the Wicked whose ungodliness and rebellion against God cometh from looking upon themselves as theâ—… own Psal. 12. 21. Who have said with our tongues will we prevail our lips are our own who is Lord over us Their time their own wealth their own interest their own Bodies their own Souls their own and therefore think they may imploy all these things as they please On the other side Take an
is communicative of its self he is good that noteth his Nature and Inclination and he doth good that noteth his Work whereby he giveth proof of his Goodness Unumquodque operatur secundùm suam formam every thing acteth according to its Nature So doth God as is his Being so is his operation he is good and doth good the Work must needs be answerable to the Workman The Point is Doctr. It becometh all those that have to doe with God to have a deep sense of his Goodness 1. What is God's Goodness 2. How it is manifested to us 3. Why those that come to God should have a deep sense of it 1. What is God's Goodness There is a threefold Goodness ascribed by Divines to God 1. His Natural Goodness which is the natural Perfection of his Being 2. His Moral Goodness which is the moral Perfection of his Being 3. His Beneficial communicative Goodness called otherwise his Benignity which is of chief regard in this place besides the Perfection and Excellency of his Nature there is his Will and Self-propension to diffuse his Benefits the Perfection of his Nature is his natural and moral Goodness the other his Bounty All must be spoken to distinctly 1. God is naturally good There is such an absolute Perfection in his Nature and Being that nothing is wanting to it or defective in it and nothing can be added to it to make it better As Philo saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Being must needs be the first Good assoon as we conceive there is a God we presently conceive that he is good in this Sense it is said Mark 10. 18. Why callest thou me good there is none good but one and that is God He is good of himself good in himself yea Good it self There is none good above him or besides him or beyond him it is all from him and in him if it be good He is primitively and originally good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good of himself which nothing else is for all Creatures are good onely by participation and communication from God He is essentially good not onely good but Goodness it self the Creatures good is a superadded quality in him it is his Essence He is infinitely Good the Creatures Goodness is but a Drop but in God there is an infinite Ocean and Sea or gathering together of Goodness He cannot be better he is Summum Bonum The chiefest Good other things are good in Subordination to him and according to that use and proportion they bear to him He is not good as the Means but as the End things good as the Means are only good in order proportion measure and respect but God is absolutely good beyond God there is nothing to be sought or aimed at if we enjoy him we enjoy all good to make us compleatly happy he is Eternally and Immutably good for he cannot be less good than he is as there can be no Addition made to him so no Substraction or ought taken from him 2. God is morally good that is the Fountain and Pattern of all that vertuous goodness which is in the Creatures So Psalm 25. 8. Good and upright is the Lord. And Exod. 33. 19. He said I will make all my Goodness go before thee and proclaim my Name As the Creature hath a natural Goodness of Beauty Power Dominion Wisdom So it hath a moral Goodness of Purity and Holiness Accordingly we must conceive in God his Holiness Purity Veracity Justice as his Moral perfection and Goodness as his Will is the supream Pattern and Fountain of all these things in the Creature 3. God is communicatively and beneficially Good That implyeth his Bounty and Beneficence or his will and Self-Propension to diffuse his Benefits It may be explained by these Considerations 1. That God hath in him whatsoever is usefull and comfortable to us That is one notion we apprehend him by That he is God Allsufficient Gen. 17. 1. or that he hath all things at command to doe for us as our necessities shall require Psalm 84. 11. For the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Gen. 15. 1. Fear not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward The privative and positive part is expressed in both these places whether we need life or comfort or would be protected from all dangers bodily or spiritual why should we seek good out of God Riches Pleasures Honours they might more happily be had if we could possess all things in God Ier. 2. 13. My people have committed two great evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed them out cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water God is the Fountain of all those things which are necessary to give us all good and defend us from all evil Possidet possidentem omnia 2 Cor. 6. 10. As having nothing and yet possessing all things 2. That he hath a strong inclination to let out his fulness and is ready to do good upon all occasions Thou art good and dost good Bonum est primum potissimum nomen Dei saith Damascene The chiefest Name by which we conceive of God is his Goodness By that we know him for that we love him and make our addresses to him we admire him for his other Titles and Attributes but this doth first insinuate with us and invite our respects to him The first means by which the Devil sought to loosen man from God was by weakning the conceit of his Goodness and the great ground of all our commerce with him is that God is a good God Psalm 100. 4 5. Enter ye into his courts with praise be thankfull unto him and bless his name for the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting He presently inviteth the world to come to him because he is good As God is Allsufficient in himself so he is communicative of his riches unto his Creatures and most of all to his own people goodness is communicative it diffuseth it self as the Sun doth Light or as the fountain poureth out waters 3. He is the Fountain of all that good we have or are We have nothing but what we have from God Iames 1. 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights And Ier. 2. 13. He is called the Fountain of Living waters As Rivers are supplied by the Sea so the gathering together of all Goodness is in God All Candles are lighted at his Torch there is nothing in the Creature but what is derived from him Who hath given to him first and it shall be recompensed to him again Rom. 11. 35. As the Sun oweth nothing to the Beam but the Beam oweth all to the Sun and the Sea oweth nothing to the River but the River oweth all to the Sea 4. There will a time come when he will be all in all 1 Cor. 15.
Promises with a qualification Rom. 2. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory honour and immortality eternal life God hath not simply promised Blessedness but the Promise requireth a qualification and a performance of Duty in the Person to whom the Promise is made and therefore before we can have a certainty of Hope we must not only look upon the Assurance on Gods part but make out our qualification So Psal. 1. 1 2. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night So Psal. 119. 1 2. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and seek him with the whole heart and many such places which intimate that blessedness belongeth to such as are of an holy Heart and intirely give up themselves to an holy Course that doing the Commandments uprightly and in a Gospel Sense is a necessary Condition to qualifie those Persons which shall be saved And therefore they that live in any sin against Conscience may take notice how fearful their Estate is for the present and how needful it is to begin a good course before they can have any hope toward God 2. And Partly Because true hope is operative and hath an influence this way There are two parts in Sanctification Mortification and Vivification and true Hope hath an influence upon both Mortification 1 Ioh. 3. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purisieth himself as he is pure that when we see God we shall be like him he that hopeth for such a pure and sinless Estate either to see God will he appear before him in his filthy Rags Ioseph washed himself when he was to come before Pharaoh so when to appear before God what with this wanton vain unclean heart We are to be like him is this to be like Christ where there is such a disproportion between Head and Members And if this hope be fixed in our hearts it will set us a purifying more and more So for Vivification it urgeth and incourageth to Obedience Tit. 2. 12 13. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in the present world Look backward or forward it urgeth the heart to Obedience Why backward to the duties of Holiness shall we be Lazy in his work when we expect such a great Reward 3. Because there is no such thing to damp Hope and weaken our Confidence as Sin We cannot trust him whom we have offended freely and without restraint and therefore while we please the flesh we break our Confidence Sin will breed shame and fear and 't is impossible to hope in God unless we serve him in love and seek to please him if we feel it not presently we shall feel it sin that now weakeneth the Faith which we have in the Commandments will in time weaken the Faith that we have in the Promises Every part of Gods revealed Will cometh to be tried one time or another our Confidence in Gods Mercy is not earnestly and directly assaulted till the hour of Death or the time of extraordinary Trial When the evil day cometh then the Consciousness of my own sin whereunto we have been indulgent will be of like force to withdraw our assent from Gods Mercies as the delight and pleasure we took was to cause us to Transgress his Commandments 1 Cor. 15. 56. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law 4. Because our hope is increased by our diligence in the holy life This fostereth and augments it Heb. 6. 11. And we desire that every one of you doth shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end It must needs be so for since there is a qualification the more clear our qualification is the more full is our assurance of hope and so far as a man neglects his duty and abateth in his Qualification so far doth his Assurance abate To look on one side of the Covenant is a groundless presumption 2. None do and can keep the Commandments but they that hope for Salvation This is plain from the order of the words in the Text first I hoped for thy Salvation therefore done the Commandments implying that thereby he kept the Commandments without this none can have an heart nor hand to do any thing for God Peccator saith Bernard nihil expectat indique peccator est quod bonis presentibus Non modo delectus sed etiam contentus nihil in futurum expectat He that looketh for nothing from God can never be diligent in his service nor faithful and true to him Hope 't is our strength Lam. 3. 18. And I said my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord we first begin continue and go on with God upon the hope he offereth to us Use. I. It reproveth those that hope well but take no care to do any thing for God Every one will say they must hope in God but none looketh after this lively and operative hope their hope is barren and unfruitful who are they that can make Application of the Promises 2 Tim. 4. 8. Use. II. Is to perswade us to the coupling of these two when this Conjunction is founded then are we in a right frame if we would keep the Commandments we must hope for the Salvation of God if we would hope for the Salvation of God we must keep the Commandments This is most acceptable to the Lord Psal. 147. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him and hope in his mercy Such as believe and fear to offend him they have acceptable Communion with him 'T is for your Comfort Acts 9. 31. 't is for the honour of Religion on the one side to avoid the carnal Confidence of Papists on the other the cold Profession of Protestants if you hope for temporal Deliverance They that make no Conscience of obeying God cannot hope for Deliverance from him for his Salvation must be expected in the way of his Precepts Psal. 37. 3. Trust in the Lord and do Good so shalt thou dwell in the land So Wait on the Lord and keep his way and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it Then we may commend our selves and all our Affairs to Gods care and trust it becometh them that look for Salvation and to be helped out of their troubles to be more earnest than others in keeping his Law If you would enjoy the comfortable Assurance that you shall be saved at length live so as you may never mar your Confidence 1 Pet. 1. 13. Be sober and hope to the end Live
the Flesh p. 899 Grounds of love to the Word the most noble is the words purity p. 863 Grounds of Faith and Obedience p. 939-940 Guidance of God to be submitted to if we will have him to be ours p. 10 Guilty Creatures cannot immediately enjoy God p. 14 Guilt makes us jealous of God p. 473 H. HAbitual and actual reign of Sin p. 919 Hand of God notes the power of God p. 1070 Our Mercies are in the hand of God p. 513 Happiness of the Saints not in this World p. 867 Happiness as well as Honour to be Gods Servants p. 850 Happiness mistakes about it 1. Some mistake wherein it lies 2. Others mistake the way that leads to it 3. Some are indifferent in the use of means leading to it p. 2 29 30. Mistakes herein very dangerous ibid. Many would be happy that would not be holy ibid. Happiness of Saints that God is near them on all occasions p. 948 Vid. Blessedness Hardness of heart from delaying Repentance p. 405 by converse with wicked men p. 775 prevented by acknowledging Mercies p. 445 from neglecting answers of prayer p. 906 Wicked men harden themselves 1. From Divine Patience 2. Divine Mercy p. 938 Harmony between the Spirit Scripture and Grace p. 66 Harmony between Gods work and our Duty p. 66 Harmony between the Word and Spirit in teaching us p. 74 Hasty we are apt to be hasty with God p. 836 Hatred of God under the Notion of a Iudge not as a Preserver p. 756 Hatred of sin when it is right p. 100S it is twofold ibid. Hatred of the World against Christians because God loves them p. 882 883 Hatred of sin 1. The Kinds 2. Causes 3. Effects of it p. 877 878 879 1006 1007 1008 Hating of sin as it is sin p. 659 660 679 680 683 It is a Character of those that are good-p 680 681 877 None hate sin but they that hate all sin p. 683 Hearing the Word without practice not sufficient p. 318 Hearing Prayer God may hear when he does not answer p. 901 Heart Tender heart soon affected with Gods judgments p. 810 Means to get a tender heart p. 933 Heart purity of heart the internal principle of good Actions p. 8 The Word of God to be laid up in the heart p. 9 What a Mans heart is that the Condition is p. 486 Heart what it implies 1. The Mind 2. The affections p. 9 God will be sought with the whole heart p. 15 236 393 Half-heart what it is p. 393 239 Whole Heart what it is it implies 1. Extension of parts 2. Intention of degrees p. 15 16 Examine whether we give God the whole Heart p. 239 Why God will be sought with the whole heart p. 15 16 58 59 902 236 237 238. Motives p. 239 God enclines the heart and man inclines his own heart how p. 46 751 251 Vid. Inclination Heart enclined to keep Gods Statutes what it is the necessity of it p. 752 753 God requires the Heart in his service p. 236 237 Heart its bent towards the Word how expressed p. 122 Heart must 1. Be drawn off from the Creature Self and Sin 2. Drawn unto God p 373 374 Vid. enlarged heart Heaven the belief of it a great support under the Terrors of this World p. 310 Heavenly things Motives to press after them p. 1089 1090 Heavens an Emblem of the stability of Gods VVord p. 575 Help and Hope when delayed we may complain to God p. 551 Help to be sought of God in heavy troubles p. 158 To be sought of God to encline our hearts to Gods statutes p. 46 Height when is iniquity come to its height p. 858 859 Hell a worm that never dies a pit that hath no bottom a fire that shall never be quenched p. 861 Help in straits may be expected by them that make a Conscience of Gods Commandments p. 1079 Heritage denotes 1. The substance of our portion 2. Our right to it 3. The tenure by which we hold it 4. Our actual possession of it p. 741 742 743 Gods testimonies are 1. a full 2. a sure 3. a lasting Heritage p. 741 742 743 Marks of one that hath Gods testimonies for his Heritage p. 746 747 Consideration to move us to take Gods testimonies for our Heritage p. 748 749 Heirs of the promise rejoice in each others company and in each others mercies p. 501 502 Reasons of it p. 502 503 Hiding Gods word in the heart what p. 63 64 Why Gods word must be hid in our heart p. 64 65 Great advantages of hiding Gods word in our heart in seven particulars p. 65 How we may hide it in our hearts 1. By meditation upon it 2. Receiving it in the love of it p. 67 Hide Gods word not as a Talent in a Napkin but as Gold in a Treasury p. 76 Gods hiding his commandments from us is his not opening our eyes to see into them p. 119 Hieroglyphick of the Egyptians p. 432 Hiding place God is a hiding place to his own It implies many things for their comfort 1. Secresie 2. Capacity 3. Safety 4. Consolation p. 765 766 Hinderers of preaching the word great judgments threatned against them p. 336 Holiness in God is his essence in us a quality p. 859 It 's a means of maintaining communion with God p 389 Holiness negative and positive p. 17 18 22 Not enough to avoid evil but we must do good p 22 Reasons and Uses thereof ibid. Holiness of life is oft made a scorn by carnal men p. 337 It 's better than wisdom wisdom better than strength p 928 Honesty in our dealings with others directions about it p. 817 Honest heart one sign of it is when a man fears to offend and cares to please God p. 478 Honour great honour to be Gods servant p. 101 849 850 To be dishonour'd for Christ's sake p. 311 Horrour at mens forsaking Gods Law argues 1. A due sense of sin 2. Of Gods wrath 3. Of the truth of the threatnings 4. The effects of sin p. 351 It proceedeth from a good cause p. 351 352 Hope teaches us to purifie our selves p. 18 And to obey Gods Commandments p. 1035 1040 Hope and help when delay'd we may complain to God p. 551 Hope and obedience much praised little practised p. 1035 Hope in Christ consider what we have of that hope p. 399 Hope keeps the soul alive under faintings how p. 542 543. What Hope is p. 1036 Hope keeps us from being utterly overcome p. 337 Hope and faith their difference p. 543 Hope its excellency and certainty it causeth earnestness to be delivered out of the trouble and yet patience under the trouble p. 543 827 Hope nourished by the word of God p. 544 927 Hope from worldly things causeth shame p. 786 Hope true and false distinguished p. 786 1036 1. False hope is not built on God 2. It is slight and superficial 3. Dead and cold 4. Weak and inconstant 5. Lazy and Ioitering p. 787 True hope